WHO IS KING JAMES I? HOW DID HE COME TO BE KING AFTER ELIZABETH? WHAT IS HIS LEGACY? WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE IN JAMES’S COURT? WHAT CONNECTION DID SHAKESPEARE HAVE TO KING JAMES?
ANSWERED BY LAUREN G.
King James ruled both England and Scotland for an empowering 58 years, enduring numerous obstacles throughout his reign; he had a preoccupation with witchcraft, political nepotism, and his own alleged homosexuality. “Born in 1566, James I was the only son of Mary, Queen of Scots,” according to PBS.org. He became heir to the Scottish throne after the execution of his mother whilst he was a year old. In 1603 he took England’s throne as the successor to his cousin Elizabeth II, the same woman who’d ordered James’ mother to be executed. In England he gained the title James IV. While in power, “James liked to consider himself an expert on Witchcraft,” in accordance to Chris Truman, author of King James I and Witchcraft. James IV personally wrote and published “Daemononlogie,” a compendium of information concerning the debate over witchcraft.
Being an avid supporter of the condemning of witches and demons alike, King James also had a softer side; he was Shakespeare’s biggest fan. James changed Shakespeare’s troupe, “The Lord’s Chamberlain Men,” to the “King’s Men,” to show his patronage. Shakespeare’s famed comedies and tragedies were often performed in the King James Court. It is known that the play “Macbeth” was written specifically for the King’s early English reign. The play directly correlated with the life of James, greatly fascinating him. While James enjoyed the English theatre pastime, he never truly assimilated in the English culture with his unfortunate awkward gait, strong Scottish accent, and suggested “slobbering of the mouth,” quoted Sir Anthony Weldon. And, although failing to become accepted by the English populous, it must be attributed that he “kept England out of the Thirty Years War and averted any religious conflict at home,” according to the Essential Shakespeare Handbook. Possibly his greatest accomplishment was the rendering of the King James Bible which is claimed “one of the most important books ever published in the English language.” It has been our Standard English bible for over three centuries. Even occupied with personal hindrance, it can be said the King James is a very important person in history.
Bibliography: King James I and IV
Cooper, Tarnya. Searching for Shakespeare. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. 167. Print.
Riding, Alan. "Life in the Elizabethan Era." Essential Shakespeare Handbook.. Unknown: Edition Olms, 2004. 22-23. Print.
Trueman, Chris. "James I and Witchcraft." HistoryLearning. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2010. <www.hisotrylearningsite.co.uk>.
WHO IS KING JAMES I? HOW DID HE COME TO BE KING AFTER ELIZABETH? WHAT IS HIS LEGACY? WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE IN JAMES’S COURT? WHAT CONNECTION DID SHAKESPEARE HAVE TO KING JAMES?
ANSWERED BY LAUREN G.
King James ruled both England and Scotland for an empowering 58 years, enduring numerous obstacles throughout his reign; he had a preoccupation with witchcraft, political nepotism, and his own alleged homosexuality. “Born in 1566, James I was the only son of Mary, Queen of Scots,” according to PBS.org. He became heir to the Scottish throne after the execution of his mother whilst he was a year old. In 1603 he took England’s throne as the successor to his cousin Elizabeth II, the same woman who’d ordered James’ mother to be executed. In England he gained the title James IV. While in power, “James liked to consider himself an expert on Witchcraft,” in accordance to Chris Truman, author of King James I and Witchcraft. James IV personally wrote and published “Daemononlogie,” a compendium of information concerning the debate over witchcraft.
Being an avid supporter of the condemning of witches and demons alike, King James also had a softer side; he was Shakespeare’s biggest fan. James changed Shakespeare’s troupe, “The Lord’s Chamberlain Men,” to the “King’s Men,” to show his patronage. Shakespeare’s famed comedies and tragedies were often performed in the King James Court. It is known that the play “Macbeth” was written specifically for the King’s early English reign. The play directly correlated with the life of James, greatly fascinating him. While James enjoyed the English theatre pastime, he never truly assimilated in the English culture with his unfortunate awkward gait, strong Scottish accent, and suggested “slobbering of the mouth,” quoted Sir Anthony Weldon. And, although failing to become accepted by the English populous, it must be attributed that he “kept England out of the Thirty Years War and averted any religious conflict at home,” according to the Essential Shakespeare Handbook. Possibly his greatest accomplishment was the rendering of the King James Bible which is claimed “one of the most important books ever published in the English language.” It has been our Standard English bible for over three centuries. Even occupied with personal hindrance, it can be said the King James is a very important person in history.
Bibliography: King James I and IV
Cooper, Tarnya. Searching for Shakespeare. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. 167. Print.
Riding, Alan. "Life in the Elizabethan Era." Essential Shakespeare Handbook.. Unknown: Edition Olms, 2004. 22-23. Print.
Trueman, Chris. "James I and Witchcraft." HistoryLearning. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2010. <www.hisotrylearningsite.co.uk>.
"Monarchs of Britain." Britannia: British History. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2010. < http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon46.html>
In Search of Shakespeare. “James I | PBS.” PBS, n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2010. <http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/players/player31.html>.
"King James I." British Royal Family History. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2010. <http://www.britroyals.com/kings.asp?id=james1>.
Below is a portrait done in King James VI during his reign of England
Above is the original King James Bible, the standard English Bible of today and to the right is his original copy of "Daemononlogie."
PBS: In Search of Shakespeare
This site addresses many of the important people in Shakespeare's life. They have a short bio of King James.